The present invention relates to computer telephony. More specifically, the present invention relates to telephone and telecommunication servers for storing and returning messages.
Offices today share many modern conveniences, such as fax machines, electronic mail, commonly known as e-mail, high-powered computers, voice mail, and the like. Offices also share many of the same inconveniences, such as jammed copy machines, broken computers, and even disheveled piles of paper having scribbled telephone numbers. Often, just who the telephone number actually calls has long been forgotten, but typically the scraps are not thrown away, xe2x80x9cjust in casexe2x80x9d the numbers are still needed.
These scraps of papers are commonly a byproduct of voice mail systems. In particular, when users retrieve their voice mail messages, the caller leaves a message and a number they can be reached at, also known as a call-back number. So the user can return the call, she typically scribbles the call-back number on an envelope, an unrelated piece of paper, a sticky pad, and the like. Later, when convenient, the user can return the caller""s call. As noted above, when the user has a great number of messages to return, these scraps of paper can get shuffled around and even lost. As a result, the user may not be able to return the message. Even if the user can find the number, she must dial it over and over, if there is no answer.
One of the recent solutions to reduce the need for voice mail users to write down call-back numbers left in their mail boxes has been use of user or caller call-back technology. One of the pioneering companies in the area of call-back technology has been AltiGen Communications, the assignee of the present invention. With call-back functionality, the caller is prompted to enter her call-back number by way of pressing keys on her telephone keypad, which in turn generates well known DTMF tones. These DTMF tones are then recorded into the voice mail system. Later when the owner of the mail box reviews the message, she can direct the voice mail system to dial the same DTMF tones to return the caller""s message.
Drawbacks to having callers leave call-back telephone numbers include that it required the caller to enter their call-back telephone number in a manner different from the way the caller would leave a message. For example, the caller would leave a voice message, and then enter a call-back telephone number with a numeric keypad. This way of providing call-back service was potentially dangerous for the caller, for example, if the caller were driving on crowded expressway. In such a case, the caller would have to first fumble for the telephone, take her eyes off traffic to make sure the phone was in the proper position, and while looking at the telephone keypad press a series of keys. Other such drawbacks could also be envisioned.
Thus, in light of the above, what is needed in the industry are improved methods and apparatus for providing improved methods and apparatus for capturing telephone call-back numbers.
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for improved telephone messaging. In particular, the present invention relates to capturing telephone call-back numbers using novel methods and apparatus.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for operating a telephone server includes receiving an incoming call from a first user for a second user at a telephone extension, prompting the first user to speak a message, and receiving a spoken message from the first user. The method also includes receiving a spoken telephone call-back number from the first user, recognizing a numeric telephone call-back number in response to the spoken telephone call-back number, associating the numeric telephone call-back number with the spoken message, and storing the spoken message and the numeric telephone call-back number in a memory.
According to another embodiment, a computer program product for operating a telephone server including a processor includes code that directs the processor to detect an incoming call from a first user for a second user at a telephone extension, code that directs the processor to prompt the first user to speak a telephone call-back number, code that directs the processor to receive the telephone call-back number from the first user, and code that directs the processor to recognize a numeric telephone call-back number in response to the telephone call-back number. Code that directs the processor to prompt the first user to speak a message, code that directs the processor to receive the message from the first user, code that directs the processor to associate the numeric telephone call-back number with the message, and code that directs the processor to store the message and the numeric telephone call-back number in a computer memory are also provided. The codes are stored in a computer readable media.
According to yet another embodiment, a telephone server including a processor, for providing telephone call-back numbers includes a computer readable memory. The computer readable media includes code that directs the processor to detect an incoming call from a first user for a second user at a telephone extension, code that directs the processor to detect whether the telephone extension has been answered, and code that directs the processor to prompt the first user to input a spoken call-back number when the processor detects the telephone extension has not been answered. Code that directs the processor to receive the spoken call-back number from the first user, code that directs the processor to prompt the first user to input a spoken message when the processor detects the telephone extension has not been answered, and code that directs the processor to receive the spoken message from the first user are also provided. The computer readable memory also includes code that directs the processor to recognize numbers for a call-back number from the spoken call-back number, code that directs the processor to associate the call-back number with the spoken message, and code that directs the processor to store the spoken message and the call-back number in a computer memory.